A.S. Acireale
Encyclopedia
Società Sportiva Dilettantistica Acireale Calcio 1946 is an Italian association football club
, based in Acireale
, Sicily
. The club have spent most of their history in Serie C
, although they have played for two seasons in Serie B
.
. The club's roots can be traced back to a previous club in the city, from whose ashes the current incarnation rose from; the older club in the city played between 1928 and 1935.
Acireale was founded in 1946, making its debut in Serie C
. The team reached its culmination in 1992/1993 when, after a long period played in Serie C1
, C2
and D
, the team, coached by Giuseppe Papadopulo
, surprisingly gained its first promotion to Serie B
. During its first Serie B season in 1993/1994, Acireale avoided relegation after having won a play-off against Pisa Calcio
on penalties. But, in its next season, Acireale was not able to repeat their feat, and were relegated to Serie C1. Acireale successively played consecutively four season in Serie C2, a period which ended in 2003 after being promoted on playoffs. However, after a disappointing Serie C1 season in 2005/2006, ended with a relegation to Serie C2, Acireale dropped because of financial troubles, and a new property registered the club to the Promozione
regional league, the 7th level in the Italian football league system
. In its first Promozione season, the club readily won its league round being thus promoted to Eccellenza
. The club was renamed to the current denomination in August 2007, and will take part to the Sicilian Round B
of Eccellenza in 2007–2008.
Davide Bombardini
Arturo Di Napoli
Walter Mazzarri
Paolo Orlandoni
Nicola Pavarini
Gaetano Vasari
Football in Italy
Football is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italian national football team has won the FIFA World Cup 4 times , trailing only Brazil . Italy's club sides have won 27 major European trophies, making them the most successful European nation in the subject of football...
, based in Acireale
Acireale
Acireale is a coastal city and commune in the north-east of the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is a diocese, famous for its churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter's Basilica, St...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. The club have spent most of their history in Serie C
Serie C
The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , commonly known as Lega Pro , is the governing body that runs the third and fourth highest football divisions in Italy, the Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione respectively. It also includes the sole professional club of San Marino...
, although they have played for two seasons in Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
.
History
A.S. Acireale is a team from a city of 55,000 inhabitants 18 km away from CataniaCatania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
. The club's roots can be traced back to a previous club in the city, from whose ashes the current incarnation rose from; the older club in the city played between 1928 and 1935.
Acireale was founded in 1946, making its debut in Serie C
Serie C
The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , commonly known as Lega Pro , is the governing body that runs the third and fourth highest football divisions in Italy, the Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione respectively. It also includes the sole professional club of San Marino...
. The team reached its culmination in 1992/1993 when, after a long period played in Serie C1
Serie C1
Lega Pro Prima Divisione is the name of the third highest football league in Italy. It consists of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 18 teams each. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1....
, C2
Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
and D
Serie D
Serie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
, the team, coached by Giuseppe Papadopulo
Giuseppe Papadopulo
Giuseppe Papadopulo is an Italian football manager and former player, last in charge as head coach of Torino.-Career:...
, surprisingly gained its first promotion to Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
. During its first Serie B season in 1993/1994, Acireale avoided relegation after having won a play-off against Pisa Calcio
Pisa Calcio
Associazione Calcio Pisa 1909 is an Italian association football club, based in Pisa, Tuscany. The club was founded in 1909 as Pisa Sporting Club and refounded in 1994 as A.C. Pisa , after the cancellation of the old one because of economical troubles...
on penalties. But, in its next season, Acireale was not able to repeat their feat, and were relegated to Serie C1. Acireale successively played consecutively four season in Serie C2, a period which ended in 2003 after being promoted on playoffs. However, after a disappointing Serie C1 season in 2005/2006, ended with a relegation to Serie C2, Acireale dropped because of financial troubles, and a new property registered the club to the Promozione
Promozione
Promozione is the name of a level of football in Italy. It is considered to be the 7th level in the Italian football league system. Each individual league winner within the Promozione level progresses to their closest regional league in the Eccellenza level...
regional league, the 7th level in the Italian football league system
Italian football league system
The Italian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues and national tournaments, set up by the Italian Football Federation , for football clubs in Italy with one club hailing from San Marino.-History:...
. In its first Promozione season, the club readily won its league round being thus promoted to Eccellenza
Eccellenza
Eccellenza is the sixth level of Italian football. It is a regional league, composed of 28 divisions divided geographically. All 20 regions are represented by at least one division except for Piedmont and Aosta Valley which share 2 divisions...
. The club was renamed to the current denomination in August 2007, and will take part to the Sicilian Round B
Eccellenza Sicily
Eccellenza Sicily is the regional Eccellenza football division for clubs on the Isle of Sicily, Italy. It is competed amongst 32 teams, in two different groups . The winners of the Groups are promoted to Serie D...
of Eccellenza in 2007–2008.
Notable former players
Alessandro ZamperiniAlessandro Zamperini
Alessandro Zamperini is an Italian footballer, in the role of defender. He is currently playing for Ravenna Calcio in Italy.-Club career:...
Davide Bombardini
Davide Bombardini
Davide Bombardini is an Italian footballer who plays for AlbinoLeffe at Serie B.-Early career:Born in Faenza, Emilia–Romagna 50 km southeast of Bologna, Bombardini started his senior career at Serie D side Imolese Calcio, located at Imola, The Province of Bologna. He then briefly played for...
Arturo Di Napoli
Arturo Di Napoli
Arturo Di Napoli is a football player who currently plays in S.C. Caronnese A.S.D..- from Empoli to Messina :...
Walter Mazzarri
Walter Mazzarri
Walter Mazzarri is a retired Italian footballer and the current manager of S.S.C. Napoli.-Playing career:Mazzarri, a midfielder and a product of Fiorentina's youth system, made his professional debut in 1981 for Pescara of Serie B, and played a short Serie A stint in Cagliari the following season,...
Paolo Orlandoni
Paolo Orlandoni
Paolo Orlandoni is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He is currently the third goalkeeper for Internazionale.-Career:...
Nicola Pavarini
Nicola Pavarini
Nicola Pavarini is an Italian footballer, who plays as a goalkeeper for Parma F.C. of Serie A.-Career:Pavarini started his career at Brescia...
Gaetano Vasari
Gaetano Vasari
Gaetano "Tanino" Vasari is an Italian former football midfielder.-Career:Vasari, a native of the Palermo neighbourhood of Borgo Vecchio, started his playing career with Partinicaudace, a team from Partinico playing in the Serie D...